Method and means for binding sheets into books



, 0st. 2, 1934. w. E. REAVIS ET! AL METHOD AND MEANS FOR BINDING SHEETSINTO BOOKS Filed April 22, 1953 Patented Oct. 2, i934 UNITED sT TesMETHOD AND MEANS FOR BINDING snan'rsm'ro BOKS Winfred Elmo Reavis andGeorge Kirs'te, Los Angeles, Calif.,' assignors toi'Pacific LibraryBinding 00., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication April 22, 1933, Serial No. 667,352

12 Claims. (01. 2s1-25) tablet into sections or sub-tablets, which sec--tions are secured together along the backs thereof by some suitablemeans such; as sewing. Our invention may be employed to replace bindingmethods of this character where a reduction, in

',b inding cost is desired. It is also customary to.

bind sheets, such as sales sheets, copies of. patents, etc., into booksby inserting screws orrods through holes punched through the leaves orsheets near the back of the book. This produces a book which opensunsatisfactorily for the reason that the portions of the leaves adjacentthe back of the book are held tightly together. In the preferred form ofour invention we employ closely coiled springs which are passed through5 the openings punched in alignment through the sheets in a positionnear the back of the book. These springs when applied exist undertension and hold the leaves tightly together, but such springs arecapable of extension and flexure 0 when thebook is opened, therebyproducing a bound book which will open satisfactorily and will readilylie flat inopen position on a table.

It is an object of our invention to provide a binding means or devicefor books, consisting of a 5 spring member, preferably of spirallycoiled type, and simple head members adapted to be quickly and easilyapplied to the ends of the spring in position to be held by the tensionof the spring against the top and bottom pages or" the book,

whereby to hold the leaves of the book together under tension.

It is a further objectof the invention to provide a head member for abook-binding device of the character set forth in the precedingparagraph, such headmember consisting ofa thin plate having a slot ornotch open to one edge thereof, such plate being adapted to be movedlaterally into a position between adjacent convolutions of a spring andinto such position that the strand of wire forming the spring will passthrough said slot or notch. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a head member of theabove character in which the walls adjacent the slot. are offset inaxial direction to correspond to the spiral formation of theconvolutions of the spring engaged by the plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple method ofapplying the spring members and end plates to a stack ortablet ofleavesso as to bind the same in book form.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made evidentthroughout the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawing, trative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is apartly sectioned perspective view showing a book bound inaccordance with the precepts of a preferred formof our invention. 7

.Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section 7 taken on a planerepresented by the line 22 of Fig. 1, this view illustrating the methodof applying the binding device. Y

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred form of end or head plateforming part of the inven- 3'5, tion.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the plate of Fig. 3 applied to theend of a spring.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross section showing the manner in which thehead plate is deformed to dish or cup shape by the application ofpressure thereto. v

Fig. '6 is a perspective view showing an alternative form of head platein engagement with the end of a spring. a 5

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 7-.-"! ofFig. 5.

In Fig. 1 of the drawingv we show a book 11 consisting essentially of astack or tablet of leaves 12. The top and bottom leaves 13 and 14 maybe99 made thicker than the intermediate leaves so' as to form covers forthe book. These outer leaves or covers 13 and 14 are shown as being madefrom a heavy sheet material such'as cardboard or pulp board, and inaccordance with good practice the ,5 covers 13 and 14 may be providedwith a hinge l6 flexibly connecting the cooperating members 17 and 18which, when hinged together, constitute covers. 13 and I l. Adjacent theback 20 of the book 11, holes 21 extend through the book from the upperface 22 thereof to the lower face 23. Through these holes 21 springs 24are extended, these springs having head members 25 on the upper andlower ends thereof. The springs 24 are preferably of helical formandwhen installed in they holes or openings 21 are under tension so thatthe heads 25am held tightly against the faces 22 and 2 3. The springs 24accordingly operate under tension to hold the leaves of the book 11tightly together, but when thebook is opened, 110

which is for 1111'se5 all these springsare capable of elongation andwill also flex, so that the book will readily lie in open position andso that the portions of the sheet adjacent the back of the book are insuch position that they may be clearly viewed.

It is a feature of the invention to form the heads 25 in the mannershown in Fig. 3, wherein we show a head 25 as consisting of a disc ofthin metal, such disc being of larger diametral dimension than thespring 24 and having a notch or slot 26 extending radially inwardly fromthe edge thereof. Although'the disc. or plate forming the head 25 may bestamped to cup or dish form and may be given a spiral configuration, wefind that it is the simpler practice of the invention to make the member25 of a thickness and of such material that it may be deformed todesired dish shape and spiral configuration after it is applied to aspring 24 in a book.

Our simple method of binding'a book by use of springs 24 and head plates25 will be perceived from thefollowing description, relating to Fig. 2.A length of spring material 24a, of greater length than the verticalheight of the book 11, is equipped with a head. 25 at its lower end,such head 25being applied to the spring 24a by inserting it between thefirst and secondconvolw tions of the spring and adjusting it to aposition in which it will be concentric with the axis ofthe spring. Thespring 24a is then passed through the opening 21 in the book so that aportion 28 thereof'proiects from the upper face 22 of the book. Byan'upward pull on the extending portion 28 of the spring 24a, the head25 on the lower end thereof may be drawn tightly against the lower face23 of the book, and the spring 24w may be elongated or placed undertension, the result thereof being that the convolutions of the spring,which originally may have rested in consecutive engagement, are drawnapart, as shown in Fig. 2, so that a head plate 25a may be readily movedrightwardly .or laterally between the convolutions 31 and 32 of thespring, into a position such as indicatedioy dotted lines 33. The strandof wire 34 constituting the part of the spring connecting theconvol'utions 31 and 32 at this time passes through the notch or slot 26in the head plate specifically identified as 25a. The extending portion28 of the spring-24a is then cut off at the point 36 so thatapproximately a full convolution 31 is left above the plate 250., andthe spring 24a. due to tension therein, will draw the plate 25a tightlyagainst the upper face 22. Pressure may be then applied to the ends ofthe spring 24a and to the plates 25 engaging such ends to dish theplates in the manner shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 which illustrate a plate25 on the upper end of a spring 24. The pressure may be applied bystriking several blows with the peen end of a hammer directly to theconvolution 3-1, the force or pressure thereof causing the metal wall 37of the plate 25 adjacent the slot '26 to be depressed or deformeddownwardly at the point where it is engaged by the interconnecting part3 4 of the 5 spring. In this manner the wall 37 adjacent the slot '26 isoffset axially from the wall 38 lying on the opposite side of the slot26, and at the same time the plate 25 is dished to a form essentially asshown in Fig. 5. If desired, the extremity 40 springs are all placed inthe book as shown in Fig. 1, it is ready for use, since the plates 25,after being deformed or conformed to the spiral formation of the springends, cannot be readily dislodged. If desired; a strip of material 42may be placed across the back 20 of the book 11 as shown in Fig, 1, thisstrip-42 having edge. portions 43 and 44 folded over the members 18constituting the rearward edges of the covers 13 and 14 and glued orcemented thereto so as to cover the ends of the springs and the plates25, the cementing material or glue also gluing the edge portions 43 and44 of the strip 42 to the plates 25. Accordingly, when this practice isfollowed, V,

it is immaterial whether the plates 25 have or have not been dished inthe manner previously described, for the reason that the cement materialemployed in conjunction with the cementing of the edge portions 43 and44 also serves to hold the plates from becoming disengaged from thecopper, or sheet brass, may be deformed from its original fiat form,either before or after its application to the end of a spring, tocorrespond to the spiral formationof the adjacent convolutionsof thespring 52. 'Where the plate 5!) is employed, it is preferable to employan auxiliary securing means therefor, such as a cemented or gluedoverlying strip of the character illustrated by the edge portion 43 ofFig.1. Also, in this practice of the invention the plate 50 may be ofstrip form so that it will extend as indicated by dotted lines 53 inFig. 6, and such strip '53 may be secured by being cemented directly tothe face of thebook with which it is employed. Also, it will beperceived that the strip indicated at 53 may extend the full length ofthe back and serve as ahead or end plate for engaging the ends of all ofthe springs employed in the book.

Although we have herein shown and described our invention in simple andpractical form, it is recognized that certain parts or elements thereofare representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may beused in substantially the same manner to accomplish I substantially thesame results; therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is.not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accordedthe full scope of the following claims.

We claimas our invention:

1. A device of the character described, for binding together a stack ofleaves forming a book having an opening from face to face thereof,including: aspring having a head on one end thereof for engaging oneface of said book when said spring extends essentially through saidopening; and a washer member adapted to' be held against the other faceof said book by said spring, said washer member comprising a platehaving a slot open at one edge thereof whereby said washer member may bemoved laterally into engagement with a convolution of said'spring, saidWasher member being of r such yieldable character as to deform underpressure to correspond to the spiral formation of the part of the springengaged by said washer member.

2. A device'of the-character described, for binding togethera stack ofleaves forming a book having an opening from face to face thereof, 1.59

including: a spring having a head on one end thereof for engaging oneface of said book when opening; and a head plate adapted to be held'against the other face of said book by said spring, said plate having aslot open at one side thereof so as to permit said plate to be movedlaterally into a position between two adjacent convolutions of saidspring with the peripheral portion of said plate extending from saidspring in the mannor of a flange engaging said other face of said book,said plate being formed of a material of such yieldable character thatsaid plate will deform under pressure to a shape corresponding to thespiral form of the portion of said spring engaged by said plate.

3. A device of the character described, for binding together a stack ofleaves forming a book having an opening from face to face thereof,including: a spring having a head on one end thereof for engaging oneface of said book when said spring extends essentially through saidopening; and a head plate adapted to be held against the other face ofsaid book by said spring, said plate being of a thickness adapting it tobe moved into a position between adjacent convolutions of said springwith peripheral portions thereof projecting from said spring so as toprovide a flange engaging said other face of said book, said plate beingformed of a material of such yieldable character that said plate willdeform under pressure to a shape corresponding to the spiral form of theportion of said spring engaged by said plate.

4. A device of the character described, for binding together a stack ofleaves forming a book having an opening from face to face thereof,including: a spring having a head on one end thereof for engaging oneface of said book when said spring extends essentially through saidopening; and a head plate adapted to be held against the other face ofsaid book by said spring, said plate being of thickness adapting it tobe moved into a position between adjacent convolutions of said springwith peripheral portions thereof projecting from said spring so as toprovide a flange engaging said other face of said book, and said platebeing deformed where engaged by said spring to correspond to the spiralof said spring.

5. A head member for a book-binding device of the character describedhaving a spring adapted to be extended through a hole in a book,including: a thin plate having a diametral dimension greater than thediameter of said spring, said plate having a slot open to one edgethereof for receiving the strand of said spring when said plate is in aposition between adjacent convolutions of said spring, said plate beingof a material and of such thickness that it will deform under pressureto correspond to the spiral of the convolutions of said spring engagedthereby.

5. A head member for a book-binding device of the character describedhaving a spring adapted to be extended through a hole in a book,including; a thin plate having a diametral dimension greater than thediameter of said spring, said plate having a slot open to one edgethereof for receiving the strand of said spring when said plate is in aposition between adjacent convolutions of said spring, the portions ofsaid plate adjacent said slot being offset in axial direction tocorrespond to the spiral of the convolutions of said spring engaged bysaid plate.

7. A h ad member for a book-binding device of the character describedhaving a spring adapted to be extended through a hole in a book,including: a thin plate having a diametral dimension greater than thediameter of said spring and being adapted to be moved laterally intoengagement with said spring to a position adjacent convolutions of saidspring with peripheral portions of said plate extending from said springin the manner of a radial flange, said plate be ing of a material and ofsuch thickness that it will deform under pressure to correspond to thespiral of the convolutions of said spring engaged thereby.

8. A method of binding a book consisting of a stack of leaves, therbeing an opening through said book from face to face thereof forreceiving a binding device, comprising: extending a spring member,having a head on one end thereof,

through opening so as to bring said head against one face of said book;stretching said spring so as to place the same under tension; insertinga thin plate member between convolutions of said spring where it extendsfrom the other face of said book so that the plate will then be heldagainst said other face by said spring; and cutting off said spring nearthe outer face of said plate.

9. A method of binding a book consisting of a stack of leaves, therebeing an opening through said book from face to face thereof forreceiving a binding device, comprising: extending a spring member,having a head on one end thereof, through said opening so as to bringsaid head against one face of said book; stretching said spring so as toplace the same under tension; insorting a thin plate member betweenconvolutions of said sp ing where extends from the other face of id bookso that the plate will then be held against said other face by saidspring; cutting off said spring near the outer face of said plate; andapplying pressure to the end of said spring and to said plate to deformsaid plate to correspond to the spiral of the convolutions of saidspring between which said plate rests.

10. A method of binding a book consisting of a stack of leaves, therebeing an opening through said book from face to face thereof forreceiving a binding device, coin rising: extending a spring member,having a head on one end thereof; through said opening so as to bringsaid head against one face of said book; stretching said spring so as toplace same under tension; moving a thin plate member diametrally into aposition between convolutions of said spring where it extends from theother face of said book so that the plate will then be held said otherface by said spring; cutting off said spring near the outer face of saidplate; and applying pressure to the end of said spring and to said plateto dish said plate and to deform said plate to correspond to the spiralof the convolutions of said spring between which said plate rests.

11. A method of binding a book consisting of a stack of leaves, therebeing an opening through said book from face to face thereof forreceiving a binding device, comprising: extending a spring memberthrough said opening; stretching said spring member so as to place thesame under tension; moving a substantially fiat thin plate memberdiametrally into the space between adjacent convolutions of said springmember near the face of said book; and releasing said spring member sothat the tension therein will draw said plate member against said faceof said book.

12. A method of binding a book consisting of a 1,975,.srs

said spring member near the outer face of said plate; and applyingpressure to the end of said spring member and to said plate member todeform said plate member to correspond to the spiral of the convolutionsof said spring member between which said plate rests.

WINFRED ELMO REAVIS.

GEORGE KIRSTE.

